Managing your water account is simple. Whether you need to start or stop service, update your account information, or request an adjustment, you’ll find the assistance you are looking for below. Just select the option that applies to you, and fill in the needed information — we will take it from there.
Pay Your Bill
For your convenience, DWP offers four easy ways to pay your bill—choose the option that works best for you.
Online Account
With an online account, you can manage every aspect of your bill in one place.
- Pay your bill
- Access billing statements
- Set up automatic payments
- Make credit/debit card, e-check, or text-to-pay payments.
One-Time Payment
Make a fast, one-time payment—no login required. You must have your account number and last payment amount to complete your payment.
By Mail
Please make checks or money orders payable to “Department of Water & Power” and mail payment to:
Department of Water & Power
P.O. Box 1929
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
By Phone
Enroll in Email Billing
Receive your bill via email, instead of postal mail.
Establish / Stop Service
Account Management
Conservation Rebates
Toilet Rebate
DWP offers rebates to help customers upgrade to high-efficiency toilets that save both water and money over time.
Rebate Amounts:
- $100 for replacing a toilet that uses more than 1.6 gallons per flush (GPF).
- $50 for replacing a toilet that uses between 1.6 and 1.28 GPF.
Each toilet has a manufacturer-stamped GPF rating—usually located on the bowl or tank. This information must be provided for each replacement to qualify.
How to Apply
1. Photograph the GPF marking.
Take a clear photo of the GPF stamp found inside the tank or on the bowl (between the bowl and tank). If you need help locating it, call DWP’s Conservation Department (909)-866-5050.
2. Photograph the old toilet before removal.
Ensure the surrounding room is visible in the image. This allows DWP to remotely validate the replacement.
3. Photograph the new toilet installed in the same room.
The image should clearly show the new fixture and its location.
4. Provide proof of purchase.
Submit your receipt or invoice showing the make, model, and purchase date of the new toilet(s).
Rain Barrel Rebate
On our mountaintop, every drop counts. Nearly half of DWP’s annual water demand—40 to 50 percent—goes toward outdoor irrigation. By collecting and reusing rainwater, customers can ease that demand and conserve our limited groundwater supply.
Each eligible customer may receive free repurposed rain barrels from DWP’s inventory (while supplies last) or rebates for up to three barrels purchased independently. The total number of rain barrels allowed through this program is three per service connection.
- Maximum Allowance: Three barrels per service connection.
- Rebate Amount: Up to $50 per barrel purchased.
- Minimum Capacity: 35 gallons per barrel.
This program makes it easy to capture rainwater and put it to good use—helping you save water at home while supporting our community’s conservation efforts.
Review the Rebate Details
Eligible customers may receive up to 3 rain barrels per service connection. The rain barrels may be obtained from DWP’s inventory or purchased independently by the customer, in any desired configuration.
Maximum Allowance: 3 barrels per service connection.
Rebate Amount: Up to $50 per barrel purchased.
Minimum Capacity: 35 gallons per barrel.
View Details of Rain Barrels from DWP’s Inventory
Black
Terra-Cotta
The rain barrels available through the Department’s inventory are repurposed food-grade containers sourced from Europe. The supplier, Upcycle Products Inc., obtains these containers and retrofits them specifically for use as rain barrels. Each barrel has been thoroughly cleaned and modified to safely and effectively collect and store rainwater.
Turf Buyback Program
Thinking about replacing your thirsty grass? You’ll save money on your water bill, and the water conserved will help sustain Bear Valley—especially during dry times.
DWP offers its eligible customers $1.00 per square foot of irrigated turf-grass that is removed from their property. The goal at play is simple: reduce outdoor water use, which accounts for approximately 45% of DWP’s annual (potable) water demand.
…Are You eligible?
To be eligible, two conditions must be true:
- The turf is still in place. If you already removed it, it’s not eligible.
- The turf is alive and currently being irrigated. Reduced irrigation is the point of the program; we must verify it’s being watered.
Service must be at an active BBLDWP account in our service area. Funding is limited and availability may change without notice.
How to Participate…
1️⃣ Contact Conservation to express interest in the program.
2️⃣On-site eligibility check and measurement. We’ll schedule a visit to confirm eligibility (alive, irrigated, still in place) and measure the square footage. We’ll tell you the estimated rebate amount based on that measurement and the current program rate.
3️⃣You remove turf-grass. Notify Conservation when removal is complete.
4️⃣Final Verification. We return for a quick-second visit to confirm the same square footage of turf measured was removed.
5️⃣Bill credit issued. If validated, we process the rebate at the agreed amount from Step 2 and apply it as a credit on your BBLDWP bill.
Irrigation Controller Rebate
Upgrade your irrigation system and save with DWP’s Irrigation Controller Rebate. Customers can receive $100 off when they install a WaterSmart™-certified controller—devices designed to automatically adjust watering based on weather and soil conditions. To qualify, simply provide proof of purchase and a photo showing the controller installed at a property within the Big Bear Lake service area. It’s an easy way to save water and money.
Native and Drought Tolerant Plant Rebate
To encourage water-efficient landscaping that reflects the natural character of the Big Bear Valley, Big Bear DWP supports the use of native and drought-tolerant landscaping options that are well suited to our environment, enhance the area’s natural beauty, and promote long-term water reliability.
Big Bear DWP’s Native Plant Rebate Program offers its customers up to $100 for qualifying native or drought-tolerant landscaping. Eligible selections must come from DWP’s approved list and include the following categories:
- Plants/Flowers
- Grasses
- Cacti
- Trees
All eligible selections are suited to our mountain climate. Choosing native and drought-tolerant landscaping helps conserve water, supports local wildlife, and maintains an attractive landscape with minimal maintenance.
View Rebate Requirements
To be eligible for this rebate, you will need to be able to prove:
- Vegetation applied for must be on the list of Eligible Vegetation (below)
- The vegetation was planted locally
- It was purchased
View the List of Eligible Vegetion
Flowers/Flowering Plants
- Batik/Immortality/Tennison Ridge- Iris
- Blue Flax- Linum lewisii
- California Aster- Corethrgyne filaginifolia
- California Fuchsia- Epibolium canum
- California Goldenrod- Solidago velutina sp.
- California Milkweed/Narrow Leaf Milkweed – Asclepias californica/fascicularis
- California Poppy- Eschoscholzia californica
- California/Sulfur/Wright’s Buckwheat – Eriogonum
- fasciculatum/umbellatum/wrightii
- Calliopsis – Coreopsis
- Catmint, Six Hills Giant, Blue Wonder – Nepeta faassenii
- Chaparral Honeysuckle – Lonicera interrupta
- Color Guard/Saphire Skies/Bright Edge – Yucca filamentosa/rostrada
- Common Buttercup – Ranunculus californicus
- Crimson Columbine – Aquilegia formosa
- Desert Blue Bells – Phacelia campanularia
- False Yucca – Hesperaloe
- Golden Yarrow – Eriophyllum confertiflorum
- Grape Soda Lupine – Lupinus excubitus
- Heartleaf Keckiella – Keckiella Cordifolia
- Heuchera
- Hooker’s Evening Primrose – Oenothera elata
- Humbodlt/Lemon Lily – Lilium humboldti/parryi
- Iceland Poppy ‘Mixed Colors’ – Papaver nudicauleMountain Blue Curls – Trichostema parishii
- Pacific Aster – Symphyotrichum chilensis
- Penstemon
- Prince’s Plume – Stanley a pinnata
- Purple Nightshade – Solanum xanti
- Scarlet Monkeyflower – Erthranthe cardinalis
- Siskyou Pink, Beeblossom, Whirling Butterflies – Gaura lindheimeri
- Spur Valerian – Centranthus ruber
- Sticky Cinquefoil – Drymocallis glandulosa
- Sundrops – Calylophus drummondii
- Virgin’s Bower Clematis – Clematis ligusticifolia
- Western Wallflower – Erysimum capitatum
- Woodland Strawberry – Fragararia vesca
- Woods’ Rose – Rosa woodsii
- Yarrow – Achillea
Shrubs
- Antelope Bitterbrush – Purshia tridentata
- Apache Plume – Fallugia paradoxa
- Apricot Mallow – Sphaeralcea ambigua
- Autumn Joy/Angelina/Dragon’s Blood – Sedum rupestre/spurium
- Big Berry Manzanita – Arctostaphylos glauca
- California Coffeeberry – Fragula californica
- California Wild Rose – Rosa californica
- Creeping Snowberry – Symphoticarpos mollis
- Deer Brush – Ceonothus integerrimus
- Desert False Indigo – Amorpha fauticosa
- Desert Wild Grape/California Wild Grape ‘Roger’s Red’ – Vitis girdiana/californica
- Elderberry – Sambucus nigra
- Flannel Bush – Fremontodendron californicum
- Hancock Coralberry/Snowberry – Symphoricarpos chenaultii/orbiculatus/albus
- Oregon Grape, Holly-leaved Barberry – Berberis/Mahonia aquifolium
- Parry’s Beargrass – Nolina parryi
- Peking Cotoneaster/ Coral Beauty – Cotoneaster acutifolia/dammeri
- Rocky Mountain Sumac – Rhus glabra/cismontana
- Rubber Rabbitbrush – Ericameria nauseosa
- Russian Sage – Perovskia atriplicifolia
- Sand Cherry – Prunus besseyi/pumila
- Sierra Currant – Ribes nevadense
- Swing Low – Distylium / Witch Hazel- Hamamelis virginiana
- Toyon – Heteromeles arbutifolia
- Utah Serviceberry – Amelanchier utahensis
- White/Big Sagebrush/Russian
- Wormwood/Powis Castle – Artemisia
- ludoviciana/tridentata/gmelinii
- White/Rose Sage, Mystic Spires Blue Salvia – Salvia
- apiana/pachyphylla/greggii/microphylla/officinalis/mexicana
Trees
- Canyon Live/California Black Oak Gambel Oak/Northern Red Oak (Standard) – Quercus chrysolepis/kelloggii/gambelii/rubra/rubrab
- Incense Cedar – Calocedrus decurrens
- Jeffrey/Sugar/Single Leaf Pinyon/Ponderosa Pine – Pinus
- jeffrey/lambertianna/monophyla/ponderosa
- White Alder – Alnus rhombifolia
- White Fir – Abies concolor
Cacti
- Beavertail Cactus – Opuntia basilarias
- Calico/Three Spine Hedgehog Cactus – Echinocereus englemanni/kelloggii
Grasses
- Blue Grama – Bouteloua gracilis
- California/Red Fescue – Festuca californica/rubra
- One Sided Blue Grass – Poa secunda
- Small Flowered Melica – Melica imperfecta
Water Rates
Residential
Water is one of the greatest bargains in your home—and one of the easiest to overlook. It’s so readily available that it can feel limitless, yet Big Bear’s mountain basin has a fixed supply that must sustain the entire community. DWP’s tiered rate structure keeps essential use affordable while encouraging customers to use water wisely beyond basic needs. Balance helps protect this limited supply and ensures reliable service for the Big Bear Valley.
Residential Service Connection Fees:
The residential bimonthly service charge for 5/8″ meters is $92.58 ($46.29 monthly).
The residential bimonthly service charge for 1″ meters is $165.70 (82.85 monthly).
Residential Rates:
| Level | CFF* | Rate per CCF | Gallon | Rate per Gallon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base | 1 – 8 | Included in Service Connection Fee | 1 – 5,984 | Included in Service Connection Fee |
| Tier One | 9 – 24 | $3.35 | 5,985 – 17,952 | $0.0045 |
| Tier Two | 25 – 40 | $5.03 | 17,953 – 29,920 | $0.0067 |
| Tier Three | 41 – 60 | $6.59 | 29,921 – 44,880 | $0.0087 |
| Tier Four | 61 – 100 | $8.74 | 44,881 – 74,800 | $0.0117 |
| Tier Five | 101+ | $15.54 | 74,801+ | $0.0208 |
*CCF stands for “One Hundred Cubic Feet.” One CCF equals 748 Gallons.
DWP Rate Study FY 2024 – FY 2028
Commercial
Businesses depend on water every day to serve customers, maintain operations, and support our local economy. DWP’s commercial rate structure is designed to be fair and consistent, reflecting the cost of maintaining a reliable water system that meets higher and more complex demands. Through efficiency and stewardship, commercial customers play an essential role in protecting the basin’s shared resource for the entire community.
Commercial Service Connection Fees:
The commercial monthly service charge for 5/8″ meters is $54.84.
The commercial monthly service charge for 1″ meters is $91.40.
Commercial Rates:
| Level | CCF* | Rate per CCF | Gallon | Rate per Gallon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base | 1 – 4 | Included in Minimum Charge | 1 – 2,992 | Included in Minimum Charge |
| Tier One | 5+ | $3.96 | 2,993+ | $0.0053 |
*CCF stands for “One Hundred Cubic Feet.” One CCF equals 748 Gallons.
DWP Rate Study FY 2024 – FY 2028
Development & New Connections
Capacity Fees
The DWP is committed to helping businesses and developers succeed in meeting the needs of our residents and visitors. We encourage early communication with our team to answer questions and guide you through the process.
Capacity Fees are one-time charges collected when a new water meter is installed or an existing meter is upsized, reflecting the additional demand placed on the system. These fees ensure that growth pays its fair share toward both existing infrastructure and future expansion. Of each fee collected, 12% offsets the cost of current water facilities—equalizing infrastructure investment across all customers—while 88% funds system expansions such as larger pipelines, new wells, and higher-capacity pumps.
Fees are calculated on a per Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU) basis, determined by the property’s occupancy level as measured through plumbing fixture units. The current fee is $12,417 per EDU. For assistance with fee calculations, please contact DWP Customer Service.
Meter Installation & Modification Fees
| Meter Size | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1″ | $2,553 |
| 1½” | $3,208 |
| 2″ | $3,560 |
| Larger Meters: Time & Material | Varies |
| Preset / Drop-In | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1″ | $509 |
| 1½” | $696 |
| 2″ | $1,129 |
| Larger Meters: Time & Material | Varies |
| Upgrade | Fee |
|---|---|
| ⅝” to 1″ | $1,550 |
| ⅝” to 1½” | $1,862 |
| ⅝” to 2″ | $2,174 |
| 1″ to 1½” | $1,472 |
| 1″ to 2″ | $2,096 |
| 1½” to 2″ | $1,682 |
For more information, please call Customer Service.
Meter Installation & Modification Fees
| Meter Size | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1″ | $2,553 |
| 1½” | $3,208 |
| 2″ | $3,560 |
| Larger Meters: Time & Material | Varies |
| Preset / Drop-In | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1″ | $509 |
| 1½” | $696 |
| 2″ | $1,129 |
| Larger Meters: Time & Material | Varies |
| Upgrade | Fee |
|---|---|
| ⅝” to 1″ | $1,550 |
| ⅝” to 1½” | $1,862 |
| ⅝” to 2″ | $2,174 |
| 1″ to 1½” | $1,472 |
| 1″ to 2″ | $2,096 |
| 1½” to 2″ | $1,682 |
For more information, please call Customer Service.
Special Uses
Special Water Use Permit
Water Permits are issued to customers who need to temporarily use water outside of DWP’s Water Conservation Policy. These permits ensure that any nonstandard water use—such as washing down surfaces, construction needs, or special events—is reviewed and approved so that it won’t jeopardize the community’s limited supply. Obtaining a permit helps balance flexibility for individual projects with the shared responsibility of conserving our local water resources.
Hydrant Meters
Hydrant meters provide temporary access to the water system for projects that require large volumes of water but don’t have a permanent service connection. They’re commonly used for construction, grading, dust control, landscape establishment, street cleaning, or fire system testing. Each hydrant meter requires a detailed request and approval before use to ensure proper accountability and protect the water system from damage or contamination.